Death by Stereo and Strung Out July 13, 2025 in Cleveland
Month: July 2025
The Pietasters “Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” Review
Ska is one of my favorite genres of music. Something just speaks to me when you mix guitars, drums, bass, and, of course, horn sections. There are so many outstanding records under that banner, but some get to be above and beyond that, becoming essential records to listen to. One of those records is the 1999 release “Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” by the Pietasters. By the time the record was released, it was their fourth studio record. The band had gone through some shifts and turns, and would put out what would become one of my favorites overall.
The record starts a little slow, but then builds up to a good pop sense, with catchy choruses, instruments flowing like water, and vocals that are a bit raspy but still catchy overall. Aside from the stellar performances here, you’ll find that the bass guitar work stands out a lot, especially if you’re a fan of the instrument. Listen closely and you’ll hear walking bass lines, and a lot of rhythm to offset the horn-heavy, even punk-rock style moments.
“Awesome Mix tape Vol. 6” is a record meant to be listened to as a whole, as it goes through some great transitional moments. The first three tracks tell a compelling story, with love, regret, and more. “Crying Over You” is a perfect companion to “Yesterday’s Over”, and “Can’t Stand It” is good overall. Released in 1999 on Hellcat Records and produced by Bad Religion’s Brett Gurewitz, you’ll find it hard to put down “Awesome Mix Tape Vol. 6”, as it is very much a soul record as much as it is a ska record. It’s not fast, easy to listen to, and is made better with a good libation.
Do yourself a favor and buy or stream “Awesome Mix Tap Vol. 6″” by clicking here.
Screeching Weasel “My Brain Hurts” (1991) Review
Before punk broke out into the mainstream and before many bands got airplay on the radio, a few bands were playing pop-infused punk rock, and one of them, of course, was Screeching Weasel. The boys mixed pop influences with rock and roll, giving you frenetic-paced music without losing much to vocals. With the recording of “My Brain Hurts,” you get Screeching Weasel at their finest, before all the controversies clouded the band. There’s a snarl to the vocals you don’t get with modern releases, and the band played steadily through 14 songs and nearly 30 minutes of music.
“My Brain Hurts” sometimes feels like a Ramones album, and it is a credit to the band. Playing Ramones-esque music is not as easy as it seems, especially regarding sheer numbers and longevity regarding the tracks and themes. Screeching Weasel manages to channel The Ramones, the Clash, and others from the past to create a rocking record that doesn’t get enough attention amidst the heavyweights of pop punk.
Sure, it was 1991, and the term pop punk wasn’t just thrown around swiftly, but what else can I say about a record with such a sing-along attitude, 3-chords of progression, and that classic Ramones feeling? It’s a solid record from a band that has put in a lot of work to get to where they are, even if it is sometimes just bad. “My Brain Hurts” is a genre classic that holds up very well today, as in 1991. “Making You Cry”, “Guest List”, “Veronica Hates Me”, and much more greet you with a classic Weasel sound.
Pick up the original release of “My Brain Hurts” by clicking here, sucka!
The Jerky Boys (1995) Review
In the mid-1990s, a series of tapes circulated in popular culture. These tapes featured recordings of phone calls that were done for pranks. The history of these tapes is documented across several websites, but they are commonly known as The Jerky Boys. My stepfather had one of the tapes and exposed me to them, finding their outrageous humor an interesting change of pace for a teenage mind. The team behind the calls got so popular that a movie was greenlit, and that’s where 1995’s The Jerky Boys movie comes to play. That’s right, tough guy, they made a movie!
The Jerky Boys is a crime comedy that features Johnny B. and Kamal. They stumble into the New York mob’s world by doing crank calls to a boss. They get mistaken for hitmen, and the two go through dangerous moments to uncover police corruption, chases, and much more. They utilize their prank calls to survive absurd situation after absurd situation. They eventually get exposed, and their screw ups end up making them heroes at the end. There’s even a prank call to the White House, but then again, maybe it was fake, yeah, most likely fake…or was it?
How can prank phone calls lead to a whole movie? The Jerky Boys not only entangle you in the world of prank calls, but also in mistaken identity. The calls made are nonsensical, but because this is 1995, you must throw away modern things like Google and others. Could this happen? Unlikely, but it could very well be something that could lead to a few mix-ups. Using over-the-top humor, the story is fast paced, and the film turns pranks into plot points that make sense, albeit not without suspension of disbelief.
Johnny and Kamal are screw ups, but they are lovable. They accidentally step into unsavory situations and expose police corruption. The two play on the accidental hero and antihero archetypes, making more out of the movie than just a lopsided affair. That said, something is endearing about how the 1990s comedy scene lends itself well enough to how the film puts the characters in peril, only to escape in absurdity. Several tropes are found here, including success, rebellion, and street smarts, but it’s blurred because it’s done in a comedic way.
Want to dive deeper? There’s something to be said about the satirization of authority. The Jerky Boys work for me because they use satire to show the incompetence of law enforcement, the mob, and how chaos could expose truths that are sometimes hidden in plain sight. The humor in the movie works well because it’s satire to me, and if you take it too seriously, you’ll find the film to be stupid and nonsensical.
Look, the Jerky Boys movie is a comedy. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and though I gave it a good write-up and explored some ins and outs, it’s satire and slapstick. It exists in a time capsule of ’90s comedy that you may or may not remember. If you’re a fan of the tapes, this will be a nice nostalgia trip, and if you’re new, you may find some chuckles here and there.
You can stream The Jerky Boys movie or even find it on VHS by clicking here, tough guy!
Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore by Walter Mosley Review
Before diving too far into the book Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore, it is essential to know that this is an “adult” book. It is not for teenagers, kids, or anyone not mature enough to handle explicit language, details, and ideas. Mosley doesn’t sugar coat anything and is as raw as ever in this exploration.
Debbie Dare is our main character and finds herself at a crossroads. She doesn’t want to be an adult film actress anymore; she wants to change. The change is brought forth because her husband is electrocuted while having a tryst with a teenage runaway. This shocking turn is enough to cause Dare to evaluate her life and what she wants to do next. Throughout the novel, we are treated to a story of what it is like to be true to oneself, what family thinks of decisions that aren’t always positive, and death in light of sex.
Whether you’re an adult who watches adult media or is not one to look at it, you’ll find that Mosley doesn’t glorify it. There is a critical eye to adult film, including aspects of commodification of the body, emotional detachment, and the transactional nature of sex work. He proposes a dehumanizing portrait of fame and sex in a context that is a bit shocking to those who aren’t ready to read about it. That is not to say that it is not warranted, or out of left field, as Mosley treats his subject with humanity, and Debbie’s movements forward are done with emotion and humanity.
Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore is a redemption song. The novel is about redemption in contrast to the adult film world, fame, fortune, and realities that come with being human in the underbelly of society. Debbie wants to leave behind her past, but is met with resistance from all corners, including transactions her husband made behind her back. Money is owed, favors are collected, and friendships are too complex to form without wanting something in return. Debbie struggles throughout, and Mosley does a good job in juxtaposing several emotional moments with the nature of sex and the toll of working in general. Remove the adult film moniker. There is a human story here, one that Mosley urgently tells.
Overall, Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore is not a long book. I found it to be enjoyable, albeit raw around every corner. Care is placed into the character, and while she can be callous at times, there’s rhyme and reason to what she is doing, which pays dividends throughout.
I do not recommend Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore by Walter Mosley to everyone. However, it is a strong novel of redemption, sex, and human nature that few people can relate to, unless you can read beyond the topic of sex.
You can buy, borrow, download, or locate a copy of Debbie Doesn’t Do It Anymore by clicking here.
Frequency (2000) Review
One of my favorite movies from the past 25 years is Frequency. Frequency is a movie that focuses on time-bending. It fuses several genres from there and is a solid thriller with emotion and fleshed-out characterizations.
We follow NYPD Detective John Sullivan, who is in the middle of a divorce. He is down on his luck and finds a ham radio, in which he begins to talk to his father, but there’s a catch. The catch is that his father, a firefighter named Frank, died in 1969. They connect across time and start to alter history, preventing Frank’s death while causing a rift in the timeline. That rift produces a serial killer, and it’s up to the duo to figure out how to stop him from the past and present. The puzzle creates an intriguing plot, which throws you for a proverbial time loop.
Now that you know the synopsis, consider the film’s emotional core. Many thrillers forget to tie together the pathos exhibited by the characters. Not this time, you get an emotional connection, which is the movie’s heart. The bond between John and Frank deepens, and though they are in different times, the changed memories hit each with bricks to the dome. Not only does the relationship drive the heart of the movie, but it also helps drive the stakes, especially when Frank’s wife, John’s mom, is a target of the serial killer.
Not into sappy things? That’s okay. This is a science fiction workshop with time changes and timeline shifts that would make Doc Brown proud. The film uses real-time changes to the past and present, and updates memories. There are even mid-scene changes, and much tension and surprise come through the traditional and sometimes non-traditional time travel tropes. There are rules to time travel, and we adhere to them in Frequency.
Perhaps the strongest element of Frequency is the merging of science fiction and a police drama. You don’t just get one solid genre focus; you get several, and they all work well with one another. What makes this movie heavy is that it gives you every genre rule without forcing it. The twists and turns are done well, the heartfelt moments don’t seem out of place, and you are given a unique ride of science fiction and drama.
You can stream Frequency on the cheap, or buy it on blu ray, either way check out more information by clicking here.
Slick Shoes “Rusty” (1997) Review
Returning to 1997, we find the pop punk world exploding with various bands. The era was full of musical talent, and Slick Shoes was one of the many bands to come out. I was first introduced to the band with their raw self-titled EP, which showcased an introduction to the punk rock act. It was raw, unfinished, with a bit of static here and there. Then came a semi-sonic shift for the band in the form of their debut record for Tooth and Nail Records, “Rusty”.
“Rusty” came out in 1997 and immediately hit the ground running, largely thanks to the fact that people bought anything Tooth and Nail released. I bought everything on the label, no matter what it was, and found joy in every single release up to a certain point in my life. Slick Shoes plays skate punk, pop punk, and straightforward punk rock with fast, frenetic guitar work and excellent attention to drumming. They are influenced by the bands you would find in the punk rock bins, and somehow find a way to stand out.
The only hindrance the band had, if any, was that the singer was underage at the time of recording and touring, and the band was stuck at times in the Christian scene. That isn’t a detriment, but it happened, and well, they had several records out before they got mainstream success. They eventually tore with Face to Face, Mxpx, and many others. “Rusty” has 16 tracks, and is 37 minutes long, with each song complementing the others in a record that has no downtime, and little to no lackluster tracks. This is a gem of a record to which you owe your time.
Feel like streaming or even playing the record on vinyl? Click here to jump into “Rusty”.
Aquabats Photos Cleveland Globe Iron
Thanks to a friend, we were able to go to see The Aquabats, at Globe Iron in Cleveland, Ohio. The band shared the stage with the Koffin Kats and Mike V and the Rats! I was able to meet Mike V at one point, and that was really cool. I was having a lot of fun so I did not get a ton of shots from the show, but here are a few that I did capture. I’m no professional photographer, so do not expect glorious ones, just a little documentation of the show.
Until Dawn (2025) Review
I’m not a big gamer. I have a PS4 and a Switch, but they don’t get played much by my hands. Therefore, I cannot comment much about the video game this movie is based on. Though the 2015 PlayStation game inspired the film, I can’t recall it ever coming out. Going into this movie without that background is fine, so don’t feel like you’re missing out in any way, shape, or form.
The movie follows Clover and her friends as they search for her sister. Her sister has been missing for a year, and they find themselves being hunted by a killer in a mask. Whenever someone dies, time resets, and they are trapped in a cycle of the same night over and over again. I presume they have to figure out the issue with time, and escape the house and land before dawn.
As I stated before, I have no idea about the video game, so whether it is a good adaptation is beyond me. Does it capture the spirit of the game? I don’t know, maybe? It seems to be a tough call, but from what I’ve heard, it does honor the spirit of the game in a way.
Let’s talk pacing and how the time loop mechanic works. I found that it was a good overall movie with some frenetic moments. There are jump scares, as is the norm with horror movies in 2025. Each loop carries a new perspective, and some interesting gore and thrills for those who are fans of that.
Don’t expect Oscar-caliber performances in “Until Dawn”, but rather enjoy the romp for what it is, a time-traveling nightmare. Put yourself in the characters’ shoes, and you’ll find yourself thinking about the fright that comes with being hunted down and unable to get out of the cycle. IT’s a nightmare, if nothing else, and something that lends itself well to the overall delight of horror fans.
“Until Dawn” is not great, but it’s good enough to recommend. It’s streaming cheap now and will be available on Blu-ray and whatnot. Click here if you want to buy it, or rent it, or do whatever you want.
Max Roach “Drums Unlimited” (1966) Review
Max Roach is a name synonymous with drums. He is a great drummer, and that’s about as simple as I can put it. Fly back to 1966, and we visit a record from Roach called “Drums Unlimited”. Sometimes referred to as a “manifesto” of sound, the recording is a story-driven device that is both subtle at times and bombastic in the way it moves through production. It is more than background music, and Roach commented on that at one point. To quote Roach, “I wanted to create a concept where drums could play themes and variations like any other instrument”, which is why “Drums Unlimited” is so important overall.
At first listen, the record seems to fit well with the jazz records of the 1960s. It has a coffee house feel, and the record walks through some upbeat moments, playfully drawing on the experimentation of jazz music. You get this at the starting line with the first track, which features a drum solo, and plays as a starting point to a somewhat rhythmic recording.
The record doesn’t just sit with solo work, as the band showcases talent with the second track, clocking in over 12 minutes, presenting a steak-house quality invitation to reason with instruments. The horn section has been noted as hard bop, and players Freddie Hubbard and James Spaulding bring forward a playful nature. There are waves of sound here, including stand-up bass, piano, and of course, what we all came here to listen to, drums.
Making up the rest of the cast on “Drums Unlimited” is interesting for those who generally follow jazz music. Otherwise, you’re not going to know who these players are. These guys include Freddie Hubbard, James Spaulding, Ronnie Mathews, Jymie Merritt, and Roland Alexander. These players, above all, bring together their talents to create a memorable jazzy record.
People generally like “Drums Unlimited”, and many have noted that the drum solos and breaks are good with swinging jazz pieces to complement it all. Major review sites talk about how creative this record is, and many find it to be an essential piece to their collection, so you’re in good company if you’re eyeing this one to add or stream.
At first glance, I thought this was just background music. However, upon listening to it a bit more, I realize that this is an excellent record for tuning into instruments. Whether you like drums or just want something jazzy to dance or drink to, you’ll love how “Drums Unlimited” plays to Max Roach’s and company’s strengths.
Feel like streaming or owning this jazz gem from Max Roach? Click here to get it on the cheap.